Worthit
by Thwarted Moony
Summary: Andromeda and Ted through their years at Hogwarts and how they came to be (sweet, like diabetic come kind of sweet, but that's my thing)
1. Chapter 1

First year  
Ted

The first time Edward 'Ted' Tonks saw Andromeda Black, she was being sorted into Slytherin, his new friend Hugh Bronson had said she was some kind of wizarding royalty and to stay away, her family was known to hate people with muggle heritage. Of course, being Ted, he didn't listen. When she displayed a magnificent capability in charms on their first class he was too intrigued to stay away.  
"Wow! That was impressive. How did you do that in the first class?" She turned to look at him with an air of superiority, but he could see her eyes gleaming proudly at what she'd done, and about having someone recognized it.  
"I just did what the professor asked."  
"Yeah, yeah, I know, but I have trouble getting used to the idea of magic and here you are being perfect at it on the first day, how did you even know how to say those words!" She raised an eyebrow then and looked him up and down with a little scowl marring her delicate features.  
"Just because you are not allowed to use a wand does not mean you can't learn magic." She said, all high airs and superiority, and yet he couldn't feel offended, she was funny in her silly aristocratic ways. He smiled at her and her eyes opened for just a tiny fraction.  
"That's cheating". She scoffed and grabbed her bag and turned to walk to their next class, right at the door she turned around, eyes narrowed.  
"That's called being a real witch."  
That did hurt, much more than when her fellow housemates started calling him a mudblood or shoving him when walking down the halls, those were idiots, she wasn't, and yet she thought of him just like the rest. He would prove her wrong.  
So after days of hard work and endless study lessons he couldn't suppress his cry of joy when Slughorn announced his potion had been the best he'd seen since 1935. And he'd never felt prouder of himself than at the moment his eyes turned to Andromeda Black to see that little surprised smile appear on her face.

First year  
Andromeda

Cheating! He called her a cheater. Ha! the audacity of that common muggleborn. And yet he had smiled at her in such a sassy way, not like all those boys and some girls always smiled at her, like wanting something, or afraid they'll offend her, treating her like some untouchable creature. He definitely wasn't afraid of aggravating her, and didn't treat her with any reverence either.  
When she saw the hurt in his eyes it felt so wrong she resorted to ignore him. It wasn't hard, well it shouldn't had been that hard, seeing as they both were in different houses and had only two classes together, but he turned out to be an obnoxious clown, always joking around with his friend, making all his housemates laugh and forcing her to implement all the mental exercises her institutrice had taught her, to appear as unaffected as possible by his wit.  
But when his ridiculous cry of joy broke the silence in class after Slughorn's compliment, she couldn't resist the little smile that crept through her lips for the bizarre creature that was Edward Tonks.

Second year  
Ted

When Caldwell Yaxley made a ridiculous reverence that looked more like he was trying to pick something from the floor than anything else, he couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter. Naturally, it didn't sit well with the boy, who turned around and stared at him with disdain. A miniature (well not really miniature, a year younger) version of Andromeda Black was looking at him like he was a dead rat on the road or something, but not Andromeda. She just looked at him like he was an idiot, and he probably was, I mean, Yaxley had more friends than he did, more powerful, crueller, and let's face it, uglier friends.  
"Laugh all you want, it is obvious you know nothing of courtesy, you little, medieval, good for nothing mudblood." The troll, sorry, the boy said. The smaller, meaner, version of Andromeda just laughed in a high pitched way that made him grimace.  
"Well, technically, _that_ is how a medieval muggle would behave." Ted pointed out, referring to the silly curtsy.  
"Who cares about muggles" The Slytherin said, the little one just nodded with a wicked smirk and Andromeda looked away. He turned sharply on his feet and left the hall to retreat to his dorm. Bloody purebloods.  
When he saw her again reading alone at the library, he decided to show her how a muggle could be chivalrous. He stood up walked right to her, she saw him approach and left the book on the table, sitting straight on the chair like a statue. He tried to choose one of his mother's favorite writers, philosophers, thinkers or whatever to quote, hands shaking at his sides. He made as elegant a bow as he could manage and offered her his hand. She stared at it for a few seconds before taking it with apprehension. He gave her a feather like kiss and then recited.  
"There is another side to chivalry. If it dispenses leniency, it may with equal justification invoke control."  
He let go of her hand and turned to leave.  
"Who said that?" She asked quietly. He didn't look at her, the redness of his face would ruin his actions, but answered her anyway.  
"Alfred Adler. Just some worthless muggle."

Second year  
Andromeda

She thought Yaxley looked ridiculous, but Bella was right next to her, and it wasn't like with Cissa who knew how to keep her secrets, Bella would go right to their mother and tell her all about how unladylike she had behaved if she were to laugh about this, and then she heard Tonks laughing and she wanted to hit him right on the face. It just wasn't fair, the freedom others had. But as expected, Yaxley didn't take the mockery well and started insulting him, bringing up his blood as always.  
Her sister just laughed, a perfect imitation of their mother, and Tonks made some know-it-all replay that was answered by another pointless blood insult. Merlin, if her mother could read her mind...  
She was working on her transfiguration essay when he walked into the library and marched to her table, bowed like any Pureblood gentleman would and offered her his hand. Every word her mother embroidered in her brain always went out the window with Edward Tonks and she hated it. She knew what happened to the people in the family that dared adopt different views about blood. Her aunt Walburga was known to be relentless about it. Then he was saying something about chivalry being a way of control and leaving.  
"Who said that?"  
And sure enough, it had been a muggle. He left then without looking back, which was good because she didn't want him to see her writing the muggle's name on her notebook.

Third year  
Ted

He had finally saved enough money to buy himself a broom, God knew his mother would have never allowed it. He was helping Mike practice for the Quidditch tryouts, he was relatively good at flying but had no interest on the game, just being able to defy gravity gave him a rush worth every galleon. They had been doing some dives when he saw her near the lake looking at the water while her friends probably gossiped about everyone that was anyone. He didn't get that girl, or the inexplicable need he had to actually get to know her. She turned to look at him, like she had heard his thoughts and he had to pull some skills not to crash and break his skull on the ground. She was trying not to laugh when he finally stabilized his broom. Some girl pointed at him and the others laughed and her smile vanished.

"Why do you even like her. She's just like all the other snakes." Mike said standing next to him up in the air.  
"No she's not. She's...kind". His friend snorted.  
"Kind? The girl is colder than an ice cube."  
"I know she's...distant, but I tell you she's kind. I can prove it."  
"I think we should put some money into this." He felt bad about betting on her, but he was betting on her being a good person so it couldn't be that bad. Could it?

They had it all planed. They went to the kitchens and convinced the elves to bring her tea and some crackers while she was studying at the library. It wasn't hard to convince them because they loved him, really.  
She always studied alone for two hours after lunch. Not that he was stalking her or anything like that.  
They hid behind some shelves near the table she seemed to prefer and waited for the action to take place.  
She entered on time, sat with an unnatural grace, pulled out her books and started reading, her poise never relenting, even when she thought no one else was there.  
The little elf appeared then carrying a tray with a little teapot, a single cup and a plate with delicious looking treats, and put it right next to her books. She looked at it confused.  
"Why are you bringing me this?" It didn't sound necessarily rude, but her voice was lacking the surprise that was so obvious in her eyes.  
"It's a treat from the kitchens, miss Black." She stared at the tray again and he was starting to believe he would have to pay Micke when the straight line of her lips shifted slowly into a soft smile.  
"Thank you, that was very kind of you, please send my gratitude back to the kitchens." The elf bowed bashfully and nodded. "Would you like one?" Andromeda offered the plate to the little creature for him to chose from. His eyes were as huge as an apple but he took one with shaking fingers and bowed profoundly while thanking her over and over before disappearing. She let an amused laugh escape her lips then clapped a hand over her mouth and turned to look around. When she was sure no one had seen her she poured herself some tea and continued reading. He turned to his friend ready to tell him "I told you so" but he was still staring at the girl, mouth completely open. He put his hands in his trousers' pockets, pulled two galleons, and offered them to him without taking his eyes from the scene.

Third year  
Andromeda

"Can you believe her? I mean, at least he's not a Gryffindor, but who dates a Ravenclaw. They must be so boring..." Bla bla bla bla...boring was this conversation, they didn't even know the girl. What gave them the impression they could criticize her decision. By Salazar, she hated this. She was good though. Good at nodding in the right time, humming when needed, and giving the short retort from time to time. Her mother would be proud.  
She turned to look around the grounds just to see Tonks diving like a maniac into the ground. He barely pulled a move that saved him from dying and it took every ounce of restraint she had not to laugh. Wouldn't want her 'friends' to question her. She hated him so much, he always made her day better, and that just meant trouble.

She went to the library to get away from her peers for a while like any other day and was very surprised when a shaky house elf showed up at her table with tea and biscuits. She smiled, remembering her darling little friend back at home, always ready to make her feel a little better after a long scolding courtesy of her mother. At least her father was only around to see her act like the perfect little lady she was supposed to be.  
She thanked the elf and offered him some of the treats he had brought her, then started reading potions. This year she wouldn't let Tonks get all the praises.

Fourth year  
Ted

He had decided Andromeda Black was never going to be his friend, so he would become like the 90% of the male population at Hogwarts and would admire her from a distance like the unreachable ice queen she was. With that in mind he started to finally notice other girls as, well, girls and it was Samantha Hegel that caught his attention. She was smart, and funny, and pretty, and she wasn't part of a blood supremacist family, which was good. They started dating a month after his realization. Apparently normal girls liked his sense of humor and thought his looks were appealing, unlike some weirdo.  
And for the monumental amount of eight months everything was great. He got to kiss a girl, and take her to dates, and get anniversary presents, and all the typical things boys his age do with a girl, he even got to feel her up one time. And then Stephane Rosier had to appear in the picture and be all rich, and charming, and the huge dimwit that stole his girlfriend. Maybe that made him the idiot, and that was what got him more than anything. He spent two weeks sulking because a Slytherin, of all people, stole his girl.  
Then one night, walking back to his dorm he heard the kitchen portrait opening and no other than the elusive miss Black came out of it with a bunch of grapes in one hand. They both stopped short, waiting for the other to speak. He, being a true gentleman, not like all those green phonies, was the first to talk.  
"Hey" very eloquent.  
"What has gotten into you?" huh? She was frowning, waiting for an answer.  
"What are you talking about?" She pointed at him with her free hand in an exasperated move.  
"You! I haven't hear one single bad joke come out of your mouth for weeks. It's weird." He gave her a cocky smile.  
"I thought you didn't like my jokes." She huffed and rolled her eyes.  
"I have no regards for your crass tomfoolery, I just find it strange." He felt a little something growing in his heart for she had to care, at least a little to have noticed his change in mood.  
"If you must know my girlfriend dumped me for one of you fellow housemates. Happy now?" For a split second he thought she did look happy, then the frown was back and she was shaking her head.  
"Hegel broke up with you? For whom?" Girls and their gossip...Well, everyone already knew by now, she must have spent her days under a rock for her not to know about it. Yet she had noticed him... hmmm.  
"Rosier." She made a disbelieving face and he gritted his teeth, he would kill her if she started talking about blood.  
"He could never.."  
"Date a halfblood, well he is. Apparently a mudblood is sin, but halfblood are fine, to pass the time probably." oh-ouh she looked furious. She kept quiet and resumed her walk back to the dungeons and he felt like an idiot for cutting her out because now he really wanted to know what she was going to say. He didn't have to chase her though, she stopped a few feet away from him and turned to stare at him, eyes still blasting.  
"Just so you know, you big nincompoop, that was not at all what I wanted to say." Nincompoop. Did that word still exist? Seriously, that girl. He took a deep breath and asked as calmly as possible.  
"What did you want to say?" She looked down at him, and he could see why everyone thought her haughty.  
"I wanted to say he could never compare to you, but I certainly retract my statement." She made an offended sound, made a sharp turn and kept walking towards the dungeons.  
"Gaaaahhh!" That woman would drive him crazy with her mixed signals, and her aloofness and her bloody charm!

Fourth year  
Andromeda

She had to be losing her mind. What other explanation could there be to the gruesome feelings that surged through her body when she saw Tonks with his new girlfriend. They had every right to hold hands in public, just like any other couple in school, and yet it was only them, doing something as innocent as that, that made her want to curse them into oblivion and maybe throw some nasty disfiguration charm at the poor girl.  
She had spent the whole wretched year running away from them, trying to sit as far away from them in class, sitting with her back to their table, and doing anything in her power to ignore the hyena like laugh Hegel did every time Tonks said one of his foolish jokes. Which was all. the. bloody. time. But when he finally stopped with the jokes it didn't make her feel any better. Now she was worrying about him, and how she hated him for that. Blasted kid, he couldn't just stop being his usual annoyingly cheery self without any explanation. So when she bumped into him outside the kitchens she couldn't stop herself from questioning him.  
The moment he said he wasn't with Samantha Hegel anymore she wanted to cry out with joy. No more sitting arrangement or scape roots! But then of course she realized he wasn't happy about it. Then he said she had left him for Stephane. Stephane! The self absorbed prat that walked around school like he was some kind of god because he was good at catching balls. The girl was mental. She was about to tell him that when he interrupted her to spit all that nonsense (well okay, according to all her ancestors it was not nonsense) about blood. And she was livid. She decided to walk back to her dorms before she murdered him but changed her mind. As incensed as she was, that ninny had to hear what she wanted to say because she was not the blood supremacist fanatic he made her out to be.  
"I wanted to say he could never compare to you, but I certainly retract my statement." There, all said.

The next day, when Samantha Hegel was hanging from Stephane's arm she couldn't suppress her disdain. And then the girl had the gall to address her like old time friends.  
"Good morning Margot, Andromeda." Margot nodded her head in acknowledgement.  
"Excuse me, but I don't remember allowing you to address me like that. It's miss Black to you." The silence was palpable. Who cares? Everyone thought her a bitch anyway.  
"Do you have a problem with my blood?" How on earth did Edward Tonks ended up with such a silly goose? She'd never know.  
"I have no problem whatsoever with your blood, it's your pliable personality that I find so distasteful." She could hear Michael Galler laughing from the Hufflepuff table, but didn't dare look in case Tonks was there. She cleaned the corner of her mouth with her napkin and stood up with all the regal she had to acquire as a dignified lady from the most ancient and noble House of Black and left the Great Hall.  
Hours later, when Edward Tonks had half the class doubled over with laughter she didn't even try to suppress her smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Fifth year  
Ted

Something was off with her this year. She didn't pretend to listen to her friends, she didn't participate in class, didn't talk, didn't try to suppress smiles at his jokes, didn't even looked at him. And it was infuriating. So when professor Flitwick decided to form a group of three for their O.W.L.s project he couldn't suppress a goofy smile the moment the teacher said his team consisted of no other than Miss Black and his best friend. He turned to look at her, expecting a scowl, a frown or an annoyed smile but there was nothing. She just stood up staring at the floor and walked to their table. When she was seated she just pulled out a notebook and turned to look at them without expression.  
"Do you have any suggestions for our project?" This just wouldn't do. He had to come up with something, anything to at least rile her up.  
"Yes. I think we should create a wizarding telephone." She just arched an eyebrow.  
"There are other ways to communicate without the need to use muggle artifacts."  
"True, but they suck. I mean, I'd like to talk to someone without the need to thrust my head inside a fireplace." She finally rolled her eyes. This was good.  
"There is the Patronus charm." Mike just looked from one to the other like a tennis match.  
"Can you perform it?" She huffed.  
"Well there are charmed mirrors." Priviledge little princes, of course she could afford one.  
"Too expensive" Mike just nodded in agreement and she sighed.  
"Well this project is too ambitious." He smirked, oh he had her.  
"I thought you were suppose to be a Slytherin. Are you too afraid?" The spark in her eyes promised dead, but he was too happy to see it after months of stoical behaviour to care.  
"You are just doing this because you think I will back away due to the muggles."  
"Now why would you think that? Maybe I just want to be remembered as the first wizard to create a communication device that does not require food, money or getting your head soiled with cinder." She made an exasperated face and shook her head.  
"No you don't, you don't care about that. You're not ambitious in that way." He felt offended. How would she know something like that? He was ambitious alright. "Oh don't look at me like that, because it's true. You fly better than half the Quidditch team and yet you never tried for it. You're a prefect but you don't go around the school berating students so they know who you are, and even if you know the answers you wait for the teaches to ask you a direct question instead of showing off. You don't care about silly recognitions so don't tell me this is because you want to be remembered as some kind of prodigy." Mike and him just stood there listening to her monologue and he was surprised at how much she knew about him. It was in moments like this, when he had managed to piss her of way beyond control that she revealed the most. "But fine, we'll work on you bloody wizarding telesomething."  
Mike cracked a laugh when she stormed out of the classroom in sync with the bell. "Man, she's quite something, huh?"  
He just snorted.  
A few nights later he was making his rounds when he saw her staring out into the night at a balcony, like some shakespearean beauty in a tragic play. God, she was gorgeous, so much it wasn't even fair. He went to stand next to her and she made a startled little squeak. He smiled.  
"What's gotten into you this year?" She just gazed his way a few seconds before returning to the stars. "What are you doing, admiring yourself?" She gave a half smile at that.  
"Why do you talk to me? We are not even friends." He shrugged.  
"Well, you did say I'm a nincompoop." she giggled and shook her head.  
"What do you want?"  
"What I can't have, apparently." The way she looked at him was breathtaking, and heartbreaking, and a thousand more beautifully painful things all at once. How had no one notice how much this girl was breaking inside? How could they go on with their lives when she was in such anguish?  
"What's wrong?" he asked, craving to take her hand but knowing she wouldn't let him. "I promise not to tell. Cross my heart and hope to die and all that." She gave him a dejected smile and looked at the grounds.  
"You are too stubborn for your own good. You'll get in trouble." He laughed wholeheartedly. He was used to trouble since he was old enough to walk.  
"You might be right. My problem is that I really don't care what happens."  
"There are other pretty girls in school." he chuckled. "What?"  
"You are so conceited." She looked affronted but he kept smiling.  
"How would that make me conceited?" He laid his weight on the veranda and looked straight at her.  
"You said 'pretty', not 'prettier' which means you think you are the prettiest." She scoffed in aggravation, but after a moment of silence turned to look at him, something resembling to insecurity shining in her eyes.  
"Do you think there is someone prettier?" He was such a fool, falling more and more for an unattainable woman when she was right, there were pretty girls who liked him, but they weren't what he wanted, stubborn twat that he was.  
"I'm here, aren't I?" Her shy smile was like a curse, but he smirked at her anyway. "See. Conceited."  
"Oh, can't a girl enjoy a compliment?" She sounded playful, so different from her usual guarded self.  
"Have tea with me." She seemed suspicious again but her weight shifted, like she was ready to follow. Or maybe she was ready to leave.  
"What do you expect to gain from that?" She asked with slitted eyes.  
"To have tea with you, of course." He said smiling impishly at her while offering his hand. She took it and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.  
They had drank two cups of tea each but she hadn't made a move to leave so who was he to complain.  
"It is actually very interesting, the way muggles managed to create such an extraordinary artifact." He smiled warmly at her.  
"I don't suppose you found that information in the school library?" She laughed and it caused his stomach to flip.  
"Of course not. The school has no relevant information about muggles whatsoever. It's ghastly how insufficient it is." He let out a belly laugh at her outraged expression.  
"And where did you find this oh so valuable information, then?" Her face tainted red and she mumbled 'muggle store' so quietly he almost missed it. "How did you managed that?"  
"My house elf did it, don't ask me how."  
"Now, what would your mother say about it?" Her expression changed so fast from content to apprehension he wanted to kick himself. "Ok. Get it, no talking about your mother."  
She gave a wan smile and took a sip from her tea. "What about you? What does your father do?"  
"He was a scientist. Kind of like a potion master, creating new things or improving the ones that already exist."  
"That sound fascinating. He doesn't do that anymore?" She seemed to understand what he was about to say before it happened because she cringed and looked down.  
"He died when I was 8, never got to know there was a whole new world were the laws of physics didn't apply, he would have loved it." She mumbled a low 'oh' pretending to be very interested in the wooden table.  
"And..and you mother?"  
"She's a literature teacher. We lack of those around here, huh?" She smiled and nodded.  
"So that explains you's extended vocabulary." He snorted, she was the one that talked like someone out of a nineteenth century novel.  
"What excuse do you have?"  
"My mother didn't pay the governess to show me how to have fun, you know." He gave her a smug smile. If there was something obvious it was that.  
"Oh, I've noticed" she rolled her eyes but there was a soft smile in her lips. "You seem to be versed at latin my dear miss Black, but you are wanting in the fun department. I, on the other hand, am an expert in that area. I'd be willing to give you some lessons."  
"Hmmm, I don't see your credentials mr. Tonks." Oh God! she was flirting! She was flirting and he wasn't imagining it.  
"I can get you some recommendations. I'm sure Hugh Stanley would love to share his experiences."  
"Seeing as he's not here, would you mind telling me one of those experiences yourself?" She asked, as regal as always and it didn't suit him well.  
"If I'm going to tell you a story you need to relax first." She looked at him like he had gone crazy.  
"I am relaxed" He snorted and stood up. He put his hands on her shoulders and did a great job at ignoring her intake of breath, then pushed them down to hunch her back a little.  
"Now cross your legs on the chair." She just raised an eyebrow.  
"They are crossed".  
"Not like a lady, woman, pull them up. You know, like an indian." She rolled her eyes but did what he asked. "Ah, so much better. "Ok, where should I start?"  
Half an hour later, when her laughter filled the room and his heart was pounding like crazy dread filled his body. She must have notice because her laughter stopped and she looked at him questioningly.  
"What's wrong?" He sighed and played with his cold tea.  
"This was a terrible idea." She looked so insecure at that moment, so far from the ice queen everybody admire.  
"Why?"  
"You are well aware, I presume, that every man in school wants you, right? They all love the beautiful and unattainable Ice Queen. Miss Black, poised and perfect. Well I don't." She looked so disappointed when he said that he almost laught. Silly girl, thinking he didn't want 'her'. "I have no desire for Miss Black, I want the girl in front of me now, and man, do I want her. But I know it won't happen, I know we'll leave tonight and you'll be back to being that other girl, and who knows if I'll ever get the chance to have tea with you again. Well, you obviously know I want more than a bloody cup of tea." Shed walked over to where he was seating. And she was crying, dammit. "Wha...Why are you.." She pulled his hair back and shook her head.  
"I want that too." And then she kissed him. An innocent peck on the lips.  
"But it won't happen, will it?" She shook her head again, a strangled sound coming from her lips.  
"I don't think so." So he kissed her for real this time, taking as much from those lips as possible in case he didn't have such a chance ever again.

Fifth year  
Andromeda

His lips tasted like freedom, and she hated being who she was more than anything in the world. More than ever.  
All year she'd been trying to stay away from him, knowing it would only make things worse, more painful, when Hogwarts was over. She'd go back to her house, where her mother would instruct her on how to be the perfect wife to a man she disliked with fervor. That summer the contract had been arranged, without her consent or even her opinion required, Cissa had stroke her head all night while she cried, unable to tell her favorite sister why she was so heartbroken. What could she say? That there was a boy she barely knew that made her days feel less bleak? That she didn't know his favorite food, or color, or if he liked to dance, but she was sure she wanted to with great desperation? It was ridiculous, and pointless, not even Narcissa would understand, not if he was a muggleborn.  
She shouldn't had agreed to this. Now she knew more, and it only made her future doleful. She was the one to step away and, with one last lingering kiss on his forehead, left him there to retreat to her house. She had always wondered why she had been sorted into slytherin, while it was true she could get almost anything from anyone by just batting her eyelashes, she thought she lacked the ambition that her housemates shared. Now she knew she had been wrong, for what could be more ambitious for a slytherin girl than to date a boy with less than pure blood.  
Two days later she was having trouble concentrating in Potions class trying not to look at his table when Margot started talking.  
"You're so lucky, all the girls are so envious right now, I mean, to be engaged to Rabastan Lestrange!" A cauldron fell were the Hufflepuffs sat right when she closed her eyes.  
"Mr. Tonks, are you feeling alright?" She could hear Slughorn ask, concern for one of his favorite students evident in his voice.  
"No sir. May I go to the infirmary?" His voice sounded strained and she opened her eyes in time to catch his as he left the classroom. She wished she hadn't.  
Two hours later at charms, her hands shaked while she told her team what she had researched. Michael was nodding and asking questions but Edward wouldn't even look at her.  
"Ted, mate, what do you think?" He looked at his friend first and then at her, and his eyes were so uncharacteristically cold a shiver went down her spine.  
"I think it's funny how hard she's working for her O.W.L.s when she's going to end up being a silly housewife". Her hand acted like on her own accord and slammed against his right cheek so hard the class went silent. The coldness in his eyes shifted and she could detect his sadnesses behind his numb expression but she was too angry to do anything other than leave the room. The last thing she heard was Michael telling him he was an idiot and the door didn't close fast enough for her to miss his sad reply.  
"I know"  
They ignored each other for weeks, using poor Michael to communicate when necessary in class. Then one afternoon, going back to her dorms after her time alone in the library she walked into a scene right out of her nightmares. Rabastan was hitting Edward while his friends holded him against the wall.  
"Stop!" The boys looked panicked for a second, then seeing it was just her, smiled cruelly. It was her future husband who spoke first.  
"Andromeda dear, I'm sorry you had to see this. We'll be done in a moment." She saw them all dressed for Quidditch and spoke fast, hoping to hide the frantic fear from her voice.  
"Won't you be late for practice?" One of them cursed and let go of Edward's arm, he fell to the ground like dead weight, the other followed and ran in the pitch's direction calling for his friend to hurry. Rabastan walked up to her, took her hand in his, drenched in Edward's blood, and kiss it before leaving. When he was off sight her stoic facade crumbled and she ran to him. He made pained noises when she moved him.  
"Oh Merlin, bloody hell, Edward, look what they did to you!" He opened one eye with difficulty and tried to smile.  
"Careful, you'll get germs all over you if you touch my blood." She kisses his bloodied eyebrow and he made a whimpering sound. "You can't marry that sadistic bastard Andromeda."  
"I have no choice." She said, pulling out her wand to help him get to the hospital wing. He let out grunts of protest but there was nothing else she could do.  
"Everyone has a choice." She might have pressed harder against his side at that, which make him squeak from the pain, and suddenly she was giggling. "Ha ha, found this funny, don't you?"  
"Well, I'm pretty mad at you, so yes." He let his head fall against hers and sighted.  
"Yeah, I know." They walked in silence in a slow pace for a while. When they got to the hospital wing the nurse fretted all over him a few minutes then left them alone to get some potions. "I'm sorry."  
She nodded, taking his hand.  
"It would mean losing my family." She tried to explain.  
"Well they don't sound like such a great family then."  
"They aren't, not really, but I can't leave my baby sister all alone, she..I love her." He tightened his hold on her hand and pulled her towards him. She wanted to cry when he put his arms around her and holder tight while they lie together on the hospital bed.  
"Had it been her, would you cut her out?"  
"Never"  
"Then why would she?" He made it sound so easy, so possible.  
"She's only eleven, she can't just defy our parents because of me, besides she is not like me, she believes we are different. Maybe she is not cruel and violent like Bella, she does not want to see you all die, but she does believe you are less than us. Our parents worked so hard to teach us muggleborns were as low as house elves and my sisters believe it." He listened in silence, one bandaged hand running up and down her arm.  
"And you?" She buried her head in the curve of his nec.  
"I'm here aren't I?" She throw his words back. He just chuckled.  
"It's Ted, by the way, Edward was my father."

Summer before sixth year.  
Andromeda

Her mother entered her room with a letter in one hand. It had her name on it, the Hogwart's crest and it was opened.  
"What is the meaning of this?" She had absolutely no idea what her mother was talking about. "Outstanding in charms for her impressive performance in the creation of a wizarding te-le-phone." Druella had difficulty pronouncing the word but it was obvious her distaste for it. "What were you thinking!? Lowering yourself by associating with muggle things!"  
"It was just an assignment mother, and it was in teams, it's not like I chose the topic."  
"You should have asked to change teams, you're a Black, try acting the part!"  
"And you are my mother! Can't you act like it for once?!" Smack. Her mother's ring stung like hell against her cheek. She heard Narcissa's intake of breath and Bellatrix's snickering.  
"Keep bringing shame to this family and you'll have no mother." She left after that, Bella in tow. Cissa stayed behind and sat with her in her bed.  
"You'll get yourself in real trouble if you keep talking to that boy, Andy." Of course her baby sister had noticed, always so intuitive and observant. Andromeda envied the way she flawlessly danced around the pureblood high class with ease, always with a charming smile on her face, always calm and collected. When she was eleven she looked stiff and cold, but not Narcissa.  
"I can't stay here Cissa. I can't breath, please, I…"She was hyperventilating, she felt her walls crumbling and all she wanted was bawl her eyes out.  
"Go, I'll cover for you." She kissed her sister and called for Jitters, her house elf.  
"You'll always be my sister, no matter what, you'll always have my love." Her sister assented slowly. She asked Jitters to take her to muggle Cambridge, Ted had written his address and telephone number in case she found the time to escape from her family for some time this summer. Well now was the time, and it was the worst time possible. It was pouring rain and the lights were out, she knocked on the door in vain and screamed in frustration, she was shivering from head to toe. She was ready to call for Jitters again when a car stopped at the entrance and down came Ted holding an umbrella for his mother. When he noticed her there he gave his mother the handle and sprinted to her side.  
"Dromeda! What are you doing here? Are you okay? You're freezing!" He opened the door as fast as he could and rushed her in. She didn't know what to say. It had been a terrible idea coming here unannounced. Oh Merlin, what would his mother think!?  
"Oh dear, you're soaked. Ted, darling turn the heater on, and bring the girl some dry clothes. Come, come dear, you'll be warmer in the living room." His mother said in a caring, warm voice.  
"I'm ss..so..sorry, Mrs. T..Tonks, I sshh..shouldn'ttt have come uu..unannounsss..ced."  
"Nonsense, nonsense, any friend of Ted's is always welcome here." Said man entered the room in a rush and offered her a towel and some pajama pants and what looked like an old t shirt. His mother excused herself and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, insisting Andromeda stayed for it. She dried her hair first, then his hands were on her cheek caressing the bruise her mother ring had left her.  
"What happened?" He said with so much concern she started sobbing. "It's alright, you don't have to tell me, it's fine." He tried to calm her, holding her tightly not caring about getting his clothes wet.  
"I'll lose them, I can't do this anymore, I can't be what they want for ever, I'll fail and I'll lose them."  
"What are you saying?" he said breathlessly. She tried to calm down, and when her voice was stable enough she told him what happened.  
"And, oh Merlin, Cissa, I'll lose her too." Tears ran freely down her eyes but at least her voice was clear. "I'll be alone. I don't know what to do."  
"We'll figure something out. And you won't be alone, you'll have me." She sniffed.  
"You barely know me." He laughed and pulled a wet lock of hair behind her ear.  
"I know enough to know I want you."  
"Why?" She asked amazed by his confidence.  
"Beats me." He opened his eyes in a playful astonished face and she smiled dejectedly. "C'mon you have to get out of those clothes or you'll die of pneumonia." She gazed at his clothes, then back at him and started opening her blouse buttons. He gulped loudly but didn't take his eyes away from her. When the blouse was off he offered her the ratty t shirt and she put it on. His gaze was blazingly placed on her and when she pulled down her damped skirt his breath became ragged. She put on the pants and he wrapped the towel around her head, pulling her towards him. She could smell his cologne and her eyes were set on his lips, they got closer, and closer and..  
"Dinner's ready!" his mother call made her jump and he cursed under his breath. They looked at each other for a moment before a rogue smile appeared on his face and she answered it with a nervous one.  
Dinner was delicious, Ted's mother filled the room with animated stories about his antics and the trouble he had caused her, making her laugh at how bashful he looked when some embarrassing anecdotes came up or his proud smile at the sophisticated pranks he had managed to pull at elementary school. She had to admit she also felt envious of the way they interacted. There was no doubt they loved each other unconditionally, and she smiled forlornly at them from across the table.  
His mother left them, stating she was tired, and they sat on the living room talking.  
"Your mother is wonderful."  
"Yeah, she is." He was playing with her hand, her body resting against his on the couch.  
"Dinner was great…"and then a horrible thought occurred to her. "Oh Merlin, I don't even know how to cook! I'll probably poison you in the process or something, it'll be a disaster! You'll get tired of me and…"He stopped her panicked rambling by kissing her. "What was that for?"  
"You. Thinking about cooking for me. And me being a caveman I guess, for you don't know how happy that makes me. But don't worry about it, I'm an excellent cook, and you can take all the time you need to learn, I don't care."  
"Are you serious about this? It won't be easy, my family and the people that share their believes are going to be...difficult" He snickered but nodded.  
"You think I don't know that? They are difficult, at least I'll have something that'll make it all worth it. Well, more like someone."  
"We can't be seen in public yet." She mumbled, afraid he'd back out. She wouldn't blame him, after all there were plenty of girls who would be proud to parade around school by his arm. He placed a finger under her chin and brought her face up to meet his eyes.  
"I know. I won't ask you to go through hell while at school. I get it. But when this is all over there is no way I'm letting you go back, your crazy mother might tie you up and marry you against your will to that brute." She laughed in relief and pulled him down for another kiss.  
When her clothes were dried enough she asked him to thank his mother for everything, they shared a gloomy goodbye kiss before she called Jitters and they apparated back to her room. Narcissa was sleeping on her bed. She changed her clothes and got inside the covers holding her sister tight, wishing against all hope that they could be as close as they were for the rest of their lives.

Summer before Sixth year  
Ted

He stayed staring at the space she had been standing in moments ago. He wanted her back, to make sure this was real, to tell him he was not hallucinating and that what had been implied in their conversation was true. Two more years and she'd leave everything she knew for him. Edward 'Ted' Tonks, simple old him, had managed to capture more than the attention of the school Ice Queen, wizarding royalty, unearthly beautiful Andromeda Black. His mother came down then and walked straight to the kitchen, he followed her to find her heating a pot of water.  
"Tea, love?" she smiled knowingly at him. He sat on the kitchen table after a low 'yes please'. She prepared his tea the way she knew he liked it and set it on the table in front of him before pulling her own chair.  
"So...is she the girl?" he bowed his head once in affirmation. "I see. She seems like a nice person."  
"She is."  
"You love her." It wasn't a question but he told her yes anyway. "So what's the problem?"

"Well, lets just say her mother is a Natzi general and I'm a rabbi.


End file.
